Scope and Contents Handwritten diaries describing the overland journey from Lowell, Massachusetts to Deer Creek, Wyoming in 1849. Volume 2 concludes Churchill's journey to California. Churchill traveled with the Sagamore and California Mining and Trading Company. After its dissolution in late June, it is likely that the author joined the Oskaloosa Company. Churchill wrote detailed entries about company politics and disagreements, and also described other companies and emigrants he met on the trail. Diary...

Scope and Contents Handwritten journal of Cobbey's overland journey from St. Joseph, Missouri to Cold Springs, California in 1850. Occasionally poetic, Cobbey describes buffalo, Indian villages he visited, and bouts of mountain fever in the company. Diary is very descriptive about the geography and nature of the trail. Cobbey had limited success mining and gives a brief description of conditions in California. Journal includes an essay written by Cobbey in 1852 for Walnut Grove Academy (now Eureka College)....

Scope and Contents

Handwritten diary with photocopies. Headley made the overland journey from Cincinnati, Ohio to California in 1849. Brief, frequent entries focus on distances traveled and camping locations. Headley also writes about the large number of deaths in his company and the many graves which he passed. Lists of the amount of gold dust which he dug in California, as well as expenses, are located in the second half of the diary. A copy of a poem and letter are located at the end.

Scope and Contents Three volume, leather-bound diary recording Poe's overland journey from Iowa to Oregon and return in 1847-48. Volume 1 is primarily concerned with camping locations and daily mileage. Poe is a terse diarist but does include some details. He writes about seeing 70 Mormon Battalion soldiers and is critical of the Indians, "the most miserable race in the world." Volume 2 mostly describes Oregon's weather. Poe writes "home ward journey" on the first page of volume 3, but according to the...

Scope and Contents Handwritten diary. Shoemaker describes his overland journey from Porter, Cass County, Michigan to Hangtown (later Placerville), California, in 1850. Upon arrival, he "bought a shovel & a pick the gold dust for to dig." Daily entries are moderately descriptive and mention camping locations, travelling conditions, encounters with Indians, and daily mileage. The diary's author is believed to have been a man named Shoemaker, but more information is unavailable. Apparently, he later became a...

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Handwritten diary by an unknown person. The item tells of the author's overland journey with the Anknin Company from St. Joseph, Missouri to Fort Kearny, Nebraska in 1849 by mule train. The author gives detailed information about the rigors of camp life, and entries in general are long and descriptive. The Anknin Company explored an abandoned Pawnee village and was also visited by a war party of 300 Dakota Indians, with whom they traded food for moccasins and buffalo robes.

Scope and Contents Handwritten diary of Walker's overland journey by ox and mule team from Boston, Massachusetts to Sacramento, California in 1849. Daily entries give good description of travelling conditions. Walker describes cholera outbreaks, a variety of disagreements in the company, and attempted trade with 800 Dakota Indians. Walker also passed through Salt Lake City and describes the city and an anniversary dinner which he attended. He mentions being hired by Albert Carrington, a prominent Church...